The Yamas are a branch of the Yoga Sutras that outline a yogi’s ethical conduct. Similarly, the seven deadly sins of the Christian faith map out evil doings. While the Yamas suggest we refrain from certain behaviours such as violence, deceit, theft, improper sexual conduct, Christians believe lust, anger, greed, envy, gluttony, sloth, and pride, must be banished. It’s easy to agree with these tenets, except for one. Pride. Why can’t we be proud of ourselves?
Let’s examine the concept of pride. Intertwined with identity and separation, pride fosters notions worthy of avoiding if we are to stay on the spiritual path. When we are full of pride, we might put ourselves above others. This breeds competition. Competition breeds anger, greed, envy, and so on. However, there is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. While self-esteem is necessary if we want to grow, a big ego is the enemy.